Wow, everyone, that was the best Equinox since the Leafs won the Cup! Now days get shorter, nights get longer. Unless you're in Tasmania.
Bangkok Rumour Of the Day ZOMG guys, Thaksin's got out of jail and is going to the hospital again. Please clam down fgs! It's simple: It's untrue.
All three of Thaksin's kiddies went to visit him at Klong Prem Central Prison.
A hole has been found in the nudist camp wall. Police are looking into it.
We all believe in free speech. It's in the constitution.-- Tiny Duffy, commissioner, Kanoma County, All the King's Men (1949)
The Rumour Agitation Aside... The Department of Corrections said briefly and confusingly that the squareheaded one is suffering from severe neck pain. Blame it on the country's privacy laws for not letting you in on the details. Thaksin has progressive spondylosis which is no fun and causes excruciating pain. Overall, for a wrinklie,he's A-OK and eats well.
Typhoon Ragasa becomes Super-Typhoon The tropical cyclone has sustained winds of 180 kph -- 112 miles imperial. Do not go outside to test that!
Ragasa (Tagalog word for 'fast action' or Rampage)... Ragasa is bearing down on Hong Kong and neighbouring Shenzhen high-tech areas. Nannies at CNN and the Independent call it "the most powerful storm in the world". China revealed plans to evacuate at least 400,000 from Ragasa's path. Thai Airways International canceled all HKG flights. And TPE. Other airlines followed suit.
Hurricanes are not local events. They have wide effects. Ragasa and a new storm forming in the Pacific right now will not hit Thailand directly. The Thai Met predicts heavier monsoons and rain across Thailand, Laos and upper Malaysia.
Heavy to very heavy rain.
The system is strengthening the monsoon trough crossing the lower North, upper Central and upper Northeast Thailand.
THAILAND POLITICS
The 'Anutin Act' goes into operation On the table: immediate cut in Bangkok train fares to 20 baht -- 65 cents. But that's still pending, as are another half a dozen urgen items.
No. 1, diplomacy and Cambodia. New Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul wants some world publicity at the United Nations General Assembly. In parallel, he thinks he can pur down those pesky Cambodian propaganda lies. Report (in Thai)
BANKING ECONOMY The mysterious, sudden flow of cash from abroad.
The government, led by Prime Minister Anutin, discussed with the Thai Bankers Association to formulate a cooperative approach to drive the economy. Focus on the "Quick Big Win" policy to accelerate debt resolution, especially the debt of SME entrepreneurs and household debt. Request for cooperation from financial institutions in injecting and increasing liquidity to reach potential small entrepreneurs.
It's the greatest achievement of the Commonwealth in 141 years. Just one question, if we may: Where is this 'state' exactly?
This 'empowers' those seeking peaceful co-existence and the end of Hamas. -- Mark "Art" Carney, successor of Justin Castreau, claims to recognise Palestine.
tbf These "men" are far behind the curve of reality. Prime Minister Yingluck did this for Thailand 13 years ago.
He awoke last Friday and demanded that Japan recognise Palestine. Immediately. Or else... Sadly, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya told Waleed to back off. Or else.
Japan will not recognise Palestine as a state.
Waleed was disappointed, or at least he said he was.
Yes, it's a bee-atch, that extra $250 for a tourist visa to America. Just be glad you're not applying for a tech-job, H1-B visa. That's going to cost non-American tech workers $100,000. Per year. That's about 3 million baht in real money. But only one time, whew! Since the visas currently cost $4,500, that can be regarded as a significant increase.
Not a fun read. Just bear in mind these are the three mildest.
It can't be summarised well, but here are the scenarios. • Fever and madness that began with the assassination of JFK ends with a whimper. • A charismatic strongman rides popular anger into power. • Low-grade civil war, a la the Irish troubles.
The thing is, you don’t get Hitler because of Hitler — there are always potential Hitlers out there. You get Hitler because of Weimar, and you get Weimar because the liberals are too corrupt and incompetent to maintain a liberal polity.
KIRK MEMORIAL Unofficial crowd estimate, more than 300,000
We are only beginning to see the consequences of Kirk's murder by Tyler Robinson. The Saturday night memorial was a phenomenon. Around 200,000 people showed up for it in Phoenix*, and around 70,000 were inside the stadium. Millions watched online, and live on television.
What's incredibly moving about this already is that this crowd knows they have been marked for death by a well-organised and well-funded movement of evil -- but everyone from fast food workers to the president of the USA is showing up defiantly. *Phoenix: A town of 2 million in the U.S. state of Arizona.
The U.S. constitution is the origin of free speech in America. What a shame that so very few people get it right. Photo: Jimmy Kimmel exits, stage left. (Courtesy The New York Times) U.S. Left Wingnuts Force Disney to Cave Free-to-view ABC TV network ends Jimmy Kimmel's suspension and his show will return Tuesday. The U.S.-only Sinclair Network will continue its ban on the alleged "comedian".
Fight The Power! Stick It To The Man!
Insiders reveal the real reason Jimmy Kimmel is returning and the secret monologue plan that could spark mutiny. Kimmel [supposedly] faces a 'crew mutiny' if he doesn’t speak out against Disney right now.
Is there anything it can't do? It's a true miracle drug. Clinical trial finds aspirin reduces colon cancer recurrence by half
Now do THAILAND One of the many positive steps the new government should take is to cancel the 'Prescription Only' designation for Bayer Aspirin and put it back on the OTC list. And new PM Anutin should know. He used to be minister of public health.
SPORTS
Being a fan of a losing team is, at its core, romantic.You love this thing that doesn’t really know you exist.
ITEM: King Charles received President Trump the guest of honor at a state dinner in Windsor Castle, England. It was nice of Trump to visit a Muslim country.
Wednesday Morning Joke Gauguin the painter walks Into a pub. The barmaid says what can I get you? He replies ““a pint of lager please.” They chat for a while and then the barmaid mentions that Van Gogh is in. "Who?" asks Gauguin. "Van Gogh, he's a mate of yours in’t ee?" Gauguin turns and spots Van Gogh and calls over, "Vince, how are you, mate?" Van Gogh gives Gauguin a wave and says "I'm fine mate." Gauguin calls back, "Can I get you a pint?" Van Gogh replies "No thanks, I've got one 'ere." Boom boom. [h/t Q]
Nah, just another TikTok load of brown stuff. But he could, you know. He's Mark Zuckerberg!
AGREED
Trump shouldn't impose a $100,000 fee on H-1B visas. But it's not his worse failure, either.
Children are hacking their own schools for fun, warns the UK Information Commissioner's Office. (BBC) Translation: The British government is run by and staffed with idiots.
Since 2022, the ICO has investigated 215 hacks and breaches originating from inside education settings and says 57% were carried out by children. Translation: The British government is run by and staffed with idiots.
Indian tech startup Hike took one. (Tech Crunch) The company abruptly shut down after crowing about how well its US division was doing on Saturday.
